I was force fed several Steinbeck novels including Grapes of Wrath and I loathed every single one of them. I am very sensitive though and found them too upsetting for me. I don't see ever making myself read one of them again just to pretend that I find something redeeming in them. There are too many good books out there that don't leave me feeling like the world is a terrible place that just needs to be nuked for me to bother with Steinbeck.

Having said all of that though, it was an influential book in awakening the country to the plight of the migrant farm workers in that era. It was an ugly situation and sometimes things need to be depicted in all their ugliness to get people's attention. I just couldn't take it. I didn't need my conscience awakened or heart softened.